The Splatoon release date is upon us: the game is available now. And the reviews are in: They’re all exceptional. Everybody loves Splatoon, Nintendo’s first-ever big name first-party shooter, and yet… I just can’t get excited for it. I am thrilled that it’s coming out; I am thrilled that people are really into it and that Nintendo is on the verge of successfully launching a new flagship IP. But I am also taking advantage of a luxury I rarely have with Nintendo games: The luxury to say no.

Splatoon Is Awesome, But Not For Me

Seriously, though, the Splatoon reviews are great. Kotaku said it’s the first fresh-feeling shooter in years. Time magazine lauds the game with even higher accolades, calling it Nintendo’s best game in years. Everybody has a couple beefs: Crappy matchmaking and online lobbies (big surprise, considering the source), a lackluster single-player campaign (a beef with many, many shooters), and not enough maps (although more will be coming). But these all are minor compared to the excellence of the game.

I’m not buying it. Splatoon, that is. You know why? I’ve always been a Nintendo gamer for a reason—hell, I’ve even worked for them—and part of that reason is the focus on local experiences. Whether it’s a single player Zelda game or a multiplayer on the couch Super Mario 3D World experience, I like my gaming to stay in the comfort of my own home. I’m not a big online gamer and never have been.

And—to Nintendo’s immense credit, and possibly a first for them—that’s where Splatoon’s strength lies. It’s an online game. The single player is crappy, and the local multiplayer is pretty limited and unpleasant. And, for me, the game is the worst kind of online game—a competitive one. I’ll play a cooperative game like Diablo III or Minecraft online, but a team-based shooter, where you’re both competing and relying on other people? Never. I get hives just thinking about it.

But you know what? These are personal idiosyncrasies. For a long time, Nintendo fans have been fed a limited menu. Platformers, adventure games, racers, party games, and fighting games. These games tend to be amazing, just like Splatoon is, but Nintendo’s offerings didn’t have a ton of variety. Splatoon is entirely unlike anything on a Nintendo system—maybe anything on any system. It’s not for me, but I finally have a luxury I haven’t had in a while: The chance to pass on a Nintendo game, just because it isn’t for me. Because Splatoon is just the sauce for a lot of people.

Splatoon is out on May 29, also known as today.